Digital Game-Based Learning

Chris's Note: Looking at this short writeup, I believe I should flesh it out to include more information on...
(includes learning, assuming roles, challenge, rewards)


Much has been written in recent years about the growing interest of educators around the potential for deep learning utilizing online game and simulation based scenarios. Games and simulations provide an entirely new way to engage the learner that has the potential to revolutionize the education industry. Large universities like M.I.T., Harvard, Cornell and many more in the U.S. are now offering courses in game-based learning (Shor, 2006). Closer to home, the University of Calgary not only offers graduate courses in Game Based Learning and Virtual Simulations as part of their educational technology program, but there is now an entire Game Based Learning centre in the new Taylor Family Digital Library building (University of Calgary, 2010). In February of 2011, the University of Calgary hosted a symposium on game based learning projects being conducted across North America.

James Gee of Arizona State University is considered by many to be one of the leading experts in game-based learning. In his 2009 book, “What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy”, he examines the learning process that occurs during commercially available video games. Gee tackles topics such as whether playing video games really are a waste of time by demonstrating how learning the rules of a video game is akin to learning a new language. Gee refers to game based learning in terms of what he calls the semiotic domains: interpreting knowledge with pictures, sounds, ideas and more – which is beyond simply reading text-based information. Clark Aldrich called this shift to game and simulation-based education going from “learning to know” from “learning to do” (2009). Aldrich and Gee believed that some situations are better taught by experiential learning over traditional plain text. Think of it in these terms: Would you expect a grade four class to learn more about Alexander Graham Bell by reading about him in a book, or by interacting with a virtual recreation of the famous inventor and his lab?

In this author’s opinion, online game and simulation based education is the next stage of learning beyond the online classroom, which of course includes Augmented Reality based implementations. Combined with the many advantages of online learning, game and simulation based learning experiences can add a new level of understanding and engagement with the same convenience enjoyed by current online students.

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References:

Aldrich, C. (2004) Simulations and the Future of Learning. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer, Wiley.

Aldrich, C. (2009) The Complete Guide to Simulations and Serious Games. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer, Wiley.

Hirumi, A., Appleman, B., Rieber, L. & Van Eck, R. (2010). Preparing Instructional Designers for Game-Based Learning: Part 1. TechTrends (Vol.54, No.3, pp.27-37). Bloomington, IN: AECT Publishing.

Gee, J.P. (2007). What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York, NY: Palgrave MacMillan.

Shor, M. (2006). Lecture Notes in Game Theory – Game Theory University Courses [website]. Retrieved on February 16 from http://www.gametheory.net/lectures/level.pl

University of Calgary(2010). New Video Game Library [website] Retrieved on February 15 from http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/utoday/september23-2010/games